'Tard of the Week - Jesse Jackson

Thursday, July 17, 2008
I'm three days late and a dollar short on the 'Tard of the Week this week. I had to go, you know, earn a living during my normal 'Tard research time. You'll get over it.

This week's winner is none other than Jesse Jackson, who said publicly: "Barack ... he’s talking down to black people ... telling niggers how to behave...I want to cut his nuts off."

Jesse, who made these comments during a break in the filming of some Fox News blather-a-thon, claims he didn't know the microphone was "hot" at that time.

Really.

I'm sorry, who believes a media whore like Jesse Jackson is not fully aware of when he's being recorded and when he's not? Who's talking down now? In fact, Jesse's a 'tard x 2, once for that totally unrealistic claim about the microphone, and once again for the comment itself. For someone who's made a life out of taking advantage of the misery of others, his criticism of Barack Obama reeks of hypocrisy.

What a 'tard. A jealous, egotistical 'tard, at that. Your time has passed, Jesse. Stop embarrassing yourself already and find something else to do.

11 comments:

mom in northern said...

The man is nothing more than a pimp for "the poor down troden black man"

Have not been impressed with this dude for years and years.

Even his own son told him to get over himself.

mom in northern said...

An after thought...

Maybe he should be considered for a "life time achievement" award
in the tard catagory??

Ya think?

After all there is losts of fodder out there to pick from....

Janiece said...

Mom, I've got the 'Tard of the Week, 'Tard of the Month, and at the end of the year will have 'Tard of the Year.

Perhaps a special category...

John the Scientist said...

Well, I'd say as people who squandered their status as lieutenants of MLK, Jesse'd have to at least tie with Marion Barry.

Eric said...

I'll buy that he didn't know the mic was live; it's actually a pretty easy mistake for a media or entertainment pro to make, and there's really no way to know if you're on a live feed or not.

Which is one of the reasons it was a stupid thing to say. It's the kind of thing that if you think it, you either don't say it or you only say it in your living room with your very closest confidantes within earshot. Saying it in enemy territory (FOX News isn't exactly Jackson's home turf), in front of people who would gleefully repeat it to everybody, while sitting in front of a mic that might be live (and presumably is on a TV set, with constant audio feed going to the control booth)--that's pretty damn retarded.

Janiece said...

Ah, Marion Berry. Another fine example of a 'tard who didn't have to be one.

"Jesse, how big a 'tard are thee? Let me count the ways..."

Cindi in CO said...

It's almost like sour grapes isn't it? Like if he can't be the first black President, we aren't going to have one or something.

Jeesh.

Janiece said...

Cindi, that's exactly how I interpret his behavior.

Really gives you the idea that he didn't care so much about the very real discrimination going on as he did about his own aggrandizement.

'Tard.

Eric said...

For an alternative view of what might have been running through Jackson's head, Jack White's recent piece on The Root is worth a read. A rough summary of White's editorial would be that Jackson's statement was stupid, but also reflects real debates within the African-American community about the source of problems within the community, the role of government, and how/where dialogues about these issues should be conducted.

I should also probably emphasize that my problem is less with what Jackson said--I disagree with him, but he's entitled to his opinion--than with the context and setting. FOX News was the wrong place to say anything along those lines even if the mic was turned off, unplugged, had a broken diaphragm that rendered it incapable of generating anything other than a buzzing sound, and in fact was purchased at a yard sale after a ninty-year old woman found it in her basement after a flood filled the basement with muddy water.

A wounded ego and an ongoing concern with civil rights issues aren't inconsistent or incompatible. I suspect Jackson, even as a wan shadow of what he used to be, still cares about civil rights and the African-American community. He might think he'd be a better leader for that community than Obama, or be angry that Obama has bridged some gaps in a way that Jackson ultimately failed to--those things might understandably make him bitter. Thinking that he sounds bitter doesn't lead me to question his commitment to his cause, tho' it might lead me to question his ability to accomplish anything productive.

And it may well be, as others have suggested, that the real problem for Jackson isn't so much bitterness after all; the real problem may be that he and other civil rights leaders of an earlier generation are fighting the last war, as many of Clinton's feminist supporters may have been.

Janiece said...

Eric, I admit that my own distaste for Rev. Jackson absolutely informs my opinion of his motivations and decisions.

Am I being too hard on him? Probably. Does he deserve it (in my opinion)? You bet.

However, when I curb my (emotional) enthusiasm, I can say that I believe your final point is the one I believe to be true. He needs to reevaluate his life's mission in a modern context, and cede the leadership position to those who are more in tune with current problems - and solutions.

Nathan said...

To look at it from another angle, I'm betting that even though the campaign criticized the statement, I'll bet they were cheering and fist-pumping all over the place when they heard it.

On the one hand, you get Jackson claiming to be a supporter and for those who don't like him, you have him dissing Obama. There are a lot of people who will disagree with anything Jackson says, just because of who he's become.